The present invention relates generally to a cable junction, and more particularly to a sealed cable junction. Still more specifically, the invention relates to a sealed cable junction which is usable to particular advantage for splicing-together of communications cables, but is not limited to use with this type of cables.
Cable junctions are devices into which the end portions of two or more cables enter through openings provided in the device, and which devices have an interior chamber wherein these end portions are spliced together to provide an electrical connection between the cables. It is known to provide a type of cable junction having a housing wherein a pair of shell sections is accommodated as a separate installation unit. These shell sections, which together define and surround the splicing chamber within the housing, are formed with longitudinally extending flanges projecting from the edges of the shells and having a substantially U-shaped configuration. These flanges are sealed with respect to one another and to the housing by a plastically deformable rope of sealing material when the cable junction is assembled. The flanges extend to the ends of the cable junction where the inlet and outlet openings for the cables are located, and they merge with seals provided in these regions and serving to seal the outer surface of the cable with respect to the housing. It is also known from this prior-art construction to make the shell inserts of low-pressure polyethylene or of metal.
Basically, this approach of the prior art to the construction of the cable junction is more advantageous than the prior art which preceded it.
However, even this type of construction still has certain disadvantages which are not yet overcome. In particular, the cables extending through the inlet and outlet openings of these junctures are not tightly enough engaged and are therefore not properly sealed. From this it follows that the splicing chamber itself is also not properly sealed with respect to the ambient atmosphere. The reason for this probably is the result of the mechanical stresses acting in the region of the inlet and outlet openings, and also the permanent stresses which act in the region of the aforementioned flanges.